FTDI is Great!

But header pins can get in the way of your next tiny project. For the benefits of FTDI, without the bulk of header pins, Fiddy comes to the rescue.

Using a spring, pogo pins, and a extreme optimism, Fiddy chomps down on the headers on your Pro Trinket, delivers and receives the debugging and programming information you need, and then speeds off to a glorious life once finished.

 

Things you'll need:

  • 3D Printer
  • Soldering Iron
  • Pliers, specifically needle nose, and regular/broad
  • Flush cutters
  • #000 Screwdriver
  • 4x M2 6mm Rounded head screws: McMaster
  • 1x 3/8"x 3/4" Compression Spring: Amazon
  • 1x 2mm thick round toothpick
  • 6x "Spear Head" pogo pins

Either a FTDI Serial TTL-232 USB cable,

- OR - 

a CP2104 Friend, plus:

  • Female jumper wires
  • 1x 6-wide single row housing pack

 What You'll Learn:

  • How to assemble a joint with a spring, using a toothpick as the hingepin

You don't need to print supports for any of these files, as long as they're printed in the orientation shown below.

Take a fresh, round toothpick, and first insert it into the top and bottom pieces, through past the taper. Be gentle, and if it seems stuck, you can twist the toothpick slightly like a screw.

Once primed, it's time for the assembly.

Place the 3/8" x 3/4" compression screw into the ring on the bottom piece, and place the top piece in alignment so that the holes line up.

Now insert the toothpick into the lined up holes on both pieces. If it gets stuck, you can use a pair of broad pliers to push the toothpick through, but it's important to be very gentle or the toothpick will splinter.

Once through, snip off the excess with the flush cutters.

Now use the tip of the #000 screwdriver to prep the holes for the screws.

Stick the tip through each hole that will receive a screw, and twist it back and forth a few times cut a tiny chamfer. This helps when using tiny screws.

Laying the face flat on the table, screw in the M2 x 6mm screws until they're flush with the bottom of the face.

Get out your pogo pins, it's time to add some teeth.

TTL-232 Instructions

Congratulations, you don't need to solder for the TTL-232 version of Fiddy.

I used an excess header pin to prep the holes on the female pins in the housing case.

Then, using a pair of needle nose pliers, gently push the pogo pin into the female jumper holes. Use very little force and go slow, or the pins will bend.

Make sure all 6 are flush.

If the plastic on one jumper becomes deformed, don't worry about it. As long as the connection is solid in the female jumper pin, you're golden.

Place the toothy enclosure into the top plate slotting, with the green wire on the left side, and the black (ground) wire on the right side.

Finish screwing in the face to the top.

You're done!

CP2104 Instructions

Congratulations, you get to solder!

Get out your rainbow pack of female jumpers.

Separate out 6, and detach them as a unit from the main pack. Make sure to find a green one, to set your registry point.

Snip one row of jumpers, all flush with one another, and begin by soldering the green lead (stripped and tinned) into the RTS pinout on the CP2104.

Then solder in the rest.

When done, insert the other end (jumpers still attached) into a 6-wide housing.

I accidentally inserted my ground wire into the far right slot, instead of the far left (indicated by an arrow.) It still works, but best practice is to get the orientation correct.

Then, using a pair of needle nose pliers, gently push the pogo pin into the female jumper holes. Use very little force and go slow, or the pins will bend. Repeat 5 more times to complete the smile.

Place the toothy enclosure into the top plate slotting, with the green wire on the left side, and the blue (ground) wire on the right side.

Finish screwing in the face to the top.

Connect the micro-USB cable to the CP2104.

You're done!

Programming:

Select the correct FTDI heading under boards in the Arduino software.

This guide was first published on Nov 22, 2016. It was last updated on Nov 22, 2016.